Skeith De Wine Turns Hate Crime Into "Positive" Art

Santa Ana artist Skeith De Wine says he was "the victim of a gay
bashing hate crime" in September 2008 that left him with severe dental
damage, a nose broken in two places and a fractured skull
and jaw. Before the incident, he'd made many pieces inspired by hate
against gays. That's how you'd assume he spent his six months in
recovery, painting as a form of therapy. But the fruits of De Wine's
recovery labor to be unveiled this weekend have nothing to do with
violence against gays--or anyone else.

Saying
he "wanted to move beyond
his negativity and bitterness of the incident," De Wine presents "Pop
Dot Art Shop Show-Heroes," which focuses on the positive and honors
local artists and
friends who gave him "strength, inspiration or support to
overcome in time of crisis."

Among those paid tribute at De Wine's
Dancing Dog Art Gallery, which is in the Santiago Train Depot Arts
District at 927 Santa Ana Blvd., are: Laurie Hassold, Sandow Birk, Peter Alexander, Don Bachardy, the composer James Horner and movie director Ron Howard.

"Every
morning I would get up and see my face all deformed from the attack,"
De Wine explains. "My heart just shattered and my self esteem was so
low. My art was the only place I could go for salvation and refuge. As
I painted every day in the studio I thought about artists or
individuals who had given me the strength or fortitude as an artist and
a person and drew upon them once again to overcome this terrible
tragedy."

He said many pieces "are pointillist in nature with
high color contrast and vibrant palate inspired by Latin-American and
Early Modern 20th Century art."

A reception will be held 7 to
10:30 p.m. Saturday at Dancing Dog--and if you really want to show your solidarity with De Wine and his exhibit, you'll show up dressed in polka dots. The opening is followed by an after-party at an undisclosed location around the corner.

The show
will be up in the gallery through June 16. Hours are noon to 5 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays or by appointment. Call (310) 804-5841 or (714)
510-1629 for more information.